The Kansas City Chiefs haven't been shy about their desire to change the quarterback position behind Patrick Mahomes. Obviously, Gardner Minshew will be the backup, and the only question is whether or not someone will earn a spot behind him as opposed to being on the practice squad.
Kansas City has had several different backups during Mahomes' tenure, ranging from Matt Moore to Chad Henne to Blaine Gabbert and more.
Now, one recent signal caller who hoped to make the 53-man roster was just cut right before the first week of the regular season.
The #Chiefs are waiving QB Bailey Zappe, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 25, 2025
Chiefs Waive QB Bailey Zappe as Preseason Ends
According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Kansas City has officially waived signal-caller Bailey Zappe. It's not necessarily surprising, yet it is a significant move nonetheless, particularly given the timing.
It appears, and this is merely speculation, that the front office has prioritized keeping Chris Oladokun over Zappe. Otherwise, it wouldn't make sense to let Zappe go first. Oladokun has a unique dual-threat skillset that lets head coach Andy Reid experiment a bit,
Minshew has won the backup job. That much is obvious. The only question is who will be the backup quarterback behind Mahomes. We've seen multiple examples of players come and go, yet the importance of having a valuable second-string QB has always proved to be true.
Letting Zappe go, who was on the practice squad in 2024, suggests that the front office doesn't believe in his future and prefers to move in a different direction. The timing of the move is crucial. As opposed to letting him walk to another team after an Oladokun release, Kansas City waived him and declared to the NFL that the franchise didn't want him.
That matters, and tracks with how terribly he performed when given the opportunity in the preseason. Zappe didn't earn his keep, yet it's surprising regardless of how quickly he was cast to the side. No one thought he'd be a good backup, but Oladokun obviously has the emergency role locked down for the foreseeable future.